Improved mode of manufacturing telegraph-cables



W. H. HORSTMANN.

Constructing and Laying Telegraph Cables.

No. 25,414. Patented Sep-t. v13, 1859.

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WILLIAM H. HORSTMANN, `OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVE'DMODE. OF MANUFACTURING TELEGRAPH-CABLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. tnd, dated September 13, 1859.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. HORST- MANN, of the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Ain the Construction of Cables for Telegraphic Purposes; and I do hereby declare andaseertain the said in-- ventions7 referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a general outline of the arrangement and disposition of the apparatus on board a ship when the cable is to be submerged. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a reservoir enlarged. Fig. 3 -is a mode of splicing the conductingwires or supporting-wires.

My improvement is in the' new mode of construeting the cable. To effect this I take a fwire of copper or other good conductor of electricity, wound on spools, reeled, or otherwise coiled in a way that will admit of being readily removed. This is shown in the drawings at a a. From thence I pass the wire through a series of sand-paper or other proper scourers and leather-polishers at b, by which the oxidized surface is removed, and the bright metallic wire thus cleansed is passed along the junction of two inclined planes at c, down which the dissolved gum-lac is caused to flow, and thus coat the wire perfectly. After passing the coating apparatus the wire is drawn through the center of a heated cylinder or oven, c', when it is equalized somewhat, and then passes between two rollers at c2, where it receives a ooverin gof cloth or other proper fibrou s material. The rollers being grooved to receive the coated wire wrap the fibrous material closely around the wire, when it adheres to the gum-lac coating. The rough edges of this fibrous covering are laid down with the next coating of pitch, rosin, or other material, applied as hereinafter described. From thence I convey the wire through an apparatus at c3, containing gum-lac dissolved in a pure state or mixed with turpentine or other resinous material that will serve to make it more elastic.

The construction which I proposeas the best for the reservoirsfor the gum-lac, pitch, or rosin composition hereinafter described, is as follows: I have areservoir or kettle (see Fig. 2).whieh, if it is to be heated7 is made double, and is heated by steam. This reservoir is hung on trunnions or lugs', so as not ,to be cantedb the rolling of the vessel. At the axis ot' this reservoir the wire above named is made to pass through a casing surmounted by a double-inclined table or a hopper which feeds the coating material to the Wire as it is drawn through, and is itself supplied from the reservoir. The -Wire then runs through an apparatus atd, filled with rosin mixed with suflicient tar to make it pliable, or with a similar compound of the resinous gums. This is preceded by a coating of muslin tape, paper, or other Vtibrous material or gntta-percha or india-rubber, and it is then passed through a wrapping-guide apparatus like the former, or as seen ate, which wraps this material around the wire, the operation being completed by a spring-fork, j', above. A second'. coating of the resiuous compound and another tape may then be added, or more, if found advisable, after which the lwire conductor is joined with a second, similarly coated, and the two are'bound together by a yarn wound from a bobbin or spool around them in a manner similar to that used to cover bonnet-wire. This is done at g. At h a second bobbin lays a yarn in the opposite direction,

crossing the first. I give no particular description of this apparatus for covering wire, as it is one well known. This incipient cable'ofconductors now passes over a spool of stout iron wire, which joins it at the point x. This-iron wire has a cheek-brake apparatus combined with it, and is intended to bear the strain of the cable while being laid. It is bound to the first-named wires by similar'bobbins winding yarns around all just beyond the point of their union, as clearly seen in the drawings dit',

each succeeding spool or bobbin winding in an opposite direction to the preceding one. At a littledis-tance from this first iron-wire junction there may be a second similar iron-wire apparatus to supply the place ofthe first in case of accident, or if an additional wire is found nec-v essary in case of rough weather or-very deep soundings, te., after which the cable is conveyed overboard either at the stern, as shown in the drawings, or at the side at the most'suitable point of delivery. .In passing over the` side or stern the cable enters a kettle of melted tar and rosin com pound at m, down through the'bottoln of which it passes, as clearly shown se i A 25,414 v in the figure, there being an elastic-mouthed opening there, that prevents an)1 more ot' the -compound. being drawn through the bottom -than is necessary, and the cable is their delivthe axis of motion while the spool of Wire is y revolving, and serve as a swivel to prevent 'a twist in the Wire. By this means all the spools may be unwound in succession in one continuous line without any stoppage. This is necessary in manufacturing the cablc'as it is bei-ng laid.'

It will 'be noticed that the wire-heads are wedge-shaped or conical, as well as the holes in the link.

tact of the parts. Another modification of this is'shown in Figi, in which a is the link, having one wire soldered thereto. The other Wire, c, is inserted into a'recess in this link through a slit in a surrounding-tube, b, which This insures the most perfect conis then turned so as to remove the slit from opposite the recess in the link, and thus inclose and fasten the wire c. Having thus fully described my improvements, what I claim therein :ts-new, and for which I desire tosecure Letters Pateut,'is l. Constructing the cableby the apparatus substantially as hereinpdescribcd, consisting of the reservoirs, wrapping apparatus, &c.,.or

their equivalents, as specified.

The inal reservoir, m, for coating a tele-- graphic cable after. it has passed all the other apparatus and before it has entered the water or ground, constructed and applied substantially as herein specified. 3. The manufacturing of thel cable, substantially in the manner described, yatthe time it is laid, so as to perfect it and at once launch it into the place where it is to remain, whereby I avoidall the chances for injury and imperfections arising therefrom growing out of stowing and handling the cable after it has been made, as heretofore has been done. y

WILLIAM H. HORSTMANN. Witnesses: 

